This weekend my mom drove down from Wisconsin and cashed in on her birthday and Christmas gifts. For her birthday gift we went out for dinner and then to see Jersey Boys at the Bank of America Theatre.

Wild Striped Sea Bass :: Rhapsody, The Loop, Chicago

Dallas suggested dinner at Rhapsody because it was nearby the theater and he’d been there before for lunch and liked the food. I thought the food was good, but we were kind of wedged into a table with people really close to us on each side. The service was just ok.. and compared to other fine dining restaurants that are still kind of fun and casual, Rhapsody felt a bit stuffy. Lots of suits in there. Still, we had a good dinner.

For a starter we split a daily special of seared scallops. I haven’t had scallops in a really long time and these were really good. The portion was a bit small. I think the dish was $10 and you only got 2 scallops. For wine we split a half bottle of Matanzas Creek Sauvignon Blanc. It was nice and crisp and refreshing. For an entree mom got the pork tenderloin that was cooked with apples. I got a wild striped bass (above). Surprisingly, after our starter, the entrees were pretty good sized. We each enjoyed what we ordered. We also split a side of first of the season peas with mint, almonds and preserved lemon. They were so fresh and flavorful. I spotted a dessert next to us that I thought looked interesting, so we ordered it to finish off our dinner. It was called chocolate symphony. You got four different small desserts, maybe a bite or two for each of us, which was just the right amount. The four desserts were warm chocolate lava cake, chocolate peanut candy bar, chocolate chip pain perdu, and cookies & cream lollipop.

Rachelle & Mom :: Bank of America Theatre, The Loop, Chicago

After dinner we walked a couple blocks over to the Bank of America Theatre to see Jersey Boys. I Tried to get my mom tickets to see the show for her last birthday but they were all sold out. Jersey Boys was worth the wait, though. I was surprised that I knew or recognized most of the songs even though they are 40+ years old. I thought it was interesting to see the timeline of the Four Seasons and how the personal lives of the band reflected on the music. The cast was really talented. The recession was showing at the theater. Half the seats on our level were empty. I’d recommend this show, especially if you’re looking for something to take your parents or grandparents to .. people who would remember the songs the first time around. The theater could probably use your money too.

The next day my mom cashed in on her Christmas gift: Brunch and manicures and pedicures.

Chocolate Tower French Toast :: Bongo Room, Wicker Park, Chicago

I took my dad to Bongo Room once a few years ago and he still talks about it, so I thought my mom would like to see what all the fuss was about. Plus, I made our spa appointment at a place right next to Bongo Room. Mom and I decided to split two things, one savory and one sweet, so we got the sweet potato and black bean breakfast burrito and the chocolate tower french toast. Both were very good. We were glad we didn’t get two really sweet things to eat. With the burrito, the savory balanced out the sweetness.

After lunch we took a much needed walk around Wicker Park. It was nice and sunny out and we had a bit of time to kill. It’s pretty crazy how different some of the neighborhood is compared to when I lived down there.

Mom :: Mojo Spa, Wicker Park, Chicago

Next, we went to Mojo Spa to get manicures and pedicures. My mom never had a pedicure before so I thought she’d enjoy it when I gave it to her as a gift. She was a little apprehensive because she’s had foot surgery and stuff, but the nail technicians at Mojo were perfect. They took their time and explained everything and were very friendly. It seems like most nail places are either high-end, expensive and stuffy or completely the opposite: a rush job. This place was funky and cute and personable, not busy, and somewhere in between. It was just the right choice. I think my mom might be hooked on nail treatments now!

Rachelle :: Mojo Spa, Wicker Park, Chicago

Great weekend that went by too fast!

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